weather appshttp://www.maclife.com/taxonomy/term/8304/all
enFree App Friday: July Grab Baghttp://www.maclife.com/article/columns/free_app_friday_july_grab_bag
<!--paging_filter--><p>Independence Day has come and gone, and Bill Pullman hasn't made any speeches about taking back Earth. Alas, first contact will have to wait for another year. Hopefully Will Smith is still up for it when the aliens finally do come,&nbsp;but in the meantime, let's highlight some great free apps that slipped through the cracks over June.&nbsp;<br /><br /><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/leaping-legend/id643595653?mt=8" target="_blank"><img src="/files/u307916/2013/07/leapthumb.jpg" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" /></a>There are few things more obnoxious than pandering nerd humor. Listen, developers, we get it, you've played Zelda before, but a single reference does not humor make. This small qualm aside, <strong>Leaping Legend</strong> borrows from similar auto-runners such as Canabalt and Jetpack Joyride and takes it vertical. There are missions, there are power-ups, and there are quips at your demise, but it's a fun, free experience. Well, it also borrowed the cash-for-coins freemium approach, but those transactions are far from necessary, as power-ups rain from the sky.</p><p><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/leaping-legend/id643595653?mt=8" target="_blank">Click here to download Leaping Legend from iTunes.</a><br /><br /><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/weathermob-social-weather/id463729367?mt=8" target="_blank"><img src="/files/u307916/2013/07/weatherthumb.jpg" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-left" /></a>So, I don't know if any of you noticed that the burning ball in the sky has clearly decided it's angry at us lately, but it has. <strong>Weathermob</strong> is a social platform where folks who are across town, or even across the world, can take photos and post about the weather. The design is fluid and can give a nice perspective of how things are going across town. Ra is angry, appease him with Weathermob.<br /><br /><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/weathermob-social-weather/id463729367?mt=8" target="_blank">Click here to download Weathermob from iTunes.</a><br /><br /><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/matchbook/id427740544?mt=8" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.maclife.com/files/u307916/2013/07/matchthumb.jpg" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" /></a>"Hey, I wanted to tell you about this really cool bar I went to, but it was so cool that I totally forgot every distinguishing factor except for they have a really good beer selection and cool reclaimed furniture and it's on that one street, y'know that one." This is a fairly common interaction with friends discovering new places to grab a bite to eat or a drink. Needless to say, it can become frustrating. That's why you and all of your friends need <strong>Matchbook</strong>. The app is early on, and a journal is coming soon, but for now you can easily sort places you love from places you'd like to check out.<br /><br /><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/matchbook/id427740544?mt=8" target="_blank">Click here to download Matchbook from iTunes.</a><br /><br /><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/battery-saver-boost-your-happy/id615987910?mt=8" target="_blank"><img src="/files/u307916/2013/07/batterythumb.jpg" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-left" /></a>Your aging iOS device's battery is kinda like an old dog that loves you. Sure, he might not be able to jump and catch a frisbee anymore, but he's there by your side, still giving you as much as he possibly can. <strong>Battery Saver </strong>has a very simple interface that, unlike other system utilities we've covered in the past, can give you step-by-step instructions as to how you can improve your battery immediately. As an added bonus, you can also free up your System Memory at the touch of a button. <br /><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/battery-saver-boost-your-happy/id615987910?mt=8" target="_blank"><br />Click here to download Battery Saver from iTunes.</a></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/columns/free_app_friday_july_grab_bag#commentsGalleryauto runnerbatterybattery appsColumnsEverplayfree app fridayfree app fridaysfree appsMatchbook FTWUtilitiesweather appsweathermobiPadiPhoneiPodGamesFri, 05 Jul 2013 21:36:19 +0000Cody Cardarelli17452 at http://www.maclife.comThermodo Kickstarter: an Actual Thermometer for iPhonehttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/thermodo_kickstarter_actual_thermometer_iphone
<!--paging_filter--><p>There's plenty of weather apps for iOS devices, but all of them have one glaring problem: they rely on another service to find out the temperature. The team at Robocat have a better idea. What if there was a tiny thermometer you could plug into the headphone jack of your iPhone, that tells you the exact temperature? The Thermodo Kickstarter project is hoping the concept appeals to a lot of iOS users.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u323900/thermodo.png" alt="Thermodo" /></p><p>Developer Robocat is probably best known for its <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/haze/id594476963?mt=8" target="_blank">weather app, Haze</a>. Featuring a sleek, minimalist design, the app is a convenient way to check the conditions of the great outdoors before heading out. But <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/robocat/thermodo-the-tiny-thermometer-for-mobile-devices" target="_blank">the team's newest project, Thermodo</a>, takes things a bit further. Plugging into the iPhone's audio port, a tiny sensor receives temperature information, sending it to a companion app via audio signal. The result is an accurate depiction of temperature on-demand.</p><p>While a free companion app will convey all the information, the Thermodo will allow work with Robocat's existing apps, Thermo and Haze. And more importantly, an open-source SDK means other developers could find new uses for the device.</p><p>Robocat launched the Thermodo Kickstarter today, with a goal of raising $35,000. As of this writing, the crowd funding has already surpassed the requirement, and stands at just over $57,000. A $25 donation will get you a black or white Thermodo, while a $39 donation offers the device in an Apple-centric anodized aluminum.</p><p>Clearly, it takes a certain person to really appreciate Thermodo's features. After all, getting an accurate temperature reading of the outdoors will require you to <em>actually go outdoors</em>. But all the same, it's a cool idea, and a truly unique use of the iPhone.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><em>Follow this article's author, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/clarkmatt" target="_blank">Matt Clark, on Twitter</a>.</em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/thermodo_kickstarter_actual_thermometer_iphone#commentsNewshazeiOSiphonekickstarterrobocattell temperature with iphonethermodoweather appsThu, 07 Mar 2013 23:13:07 +0000Matt Clark16418 at http://www.maclife.comFree Weather Channel App Gets Swanky Update, But What About Paid Version?http://www.maclife.com/article/news/free_weather_channel_app_gets_swanky_update_what_about_paid_version
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/the_weather_channel_5.0_update_200px.png" alt="The Weather Channel 5.0" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />There are plenty of iOS apps for forecasting the weather, but few of them carry the weight of The Weather Channel itself -- and now the cable channel’s own App Store entry has received a slick update, at least for the free version.<br /><br /><a href="http://press.weather.com/press_detail.asp?id=394" target="_blank">The Weather Channel has announced</a> the availability of a major redesign of its iOS app for the iPhone and iPod touch. Available today in the App Store, <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-weather-channel/id295646461?mt=8&amp;ign-mpt=uo%3D2" target="_blank">The Weather Channel version 5.0</a> offers a simpler user interface and a visually stunning design for a more personal weather experience.<br /><br />"Our new app is more relevant -- whether it's showing a beautiful image that displays your local weather or allowing you to save your own personalized home screen image, it's more about the weather and content that matters to each consumer," said Cameron Clayton, executive vice president of digital product at The Weather Channel companies. "We've made changes based on consumer feedback to engage users through a deeper and more emotional weather experience."<br /><br />The update, which borrows a lot of style from the iPad-specific version, marks the first major redesign of the app since 2009, featuring an immediate view of weather conditions that conveys the feel of the weather and offers increased personalization and social integration with iWitness, Twitter, Facebook and email.<br /><br />The only problem with the new version is that The Weather Channel isn’t saying anything about its paid, ad-free version, <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-weather-channel-max/id316415412?mt=8" target="_blank">The Weather Channel Max</a>, which has yet to receive the new coat of paint. That means weather junkies will have to choose between a slick new design populated by ads, or the tired old UI without them. Here’s hoping TWC will rectify the situation soon for its paid app users!<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/free_weather_channel_app_gets_swanky_update_what_about_paid_version#commentsNewsApp StoreFacebooknew featuresThe Weather ChannelTwitterWeatherweather appsweather channel appiPhoneiPodThu, 17 May 2012 13:06:43 +0000J.R. Bookwalter14087 at http://www.maclife.comHow to Keep Track of the Weather with Your iOS Devicehttp://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/how_keep_track_weather_your_ios_device
<!--paging_filter--><p>You look out the window and the sun is shining brightly and there’s not a cloud in the sky. You step out the door, your elbows are immediately covered in a thin layer of ice, and you can no longer feel your fingers. Yeah, the next time someone tells you to look out the window when you ask what the weather is, just poke them with your stubby frostbitten fingers.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/8/macproblemsolvers/weather-ipad-screen.jpg" width="620" height="465" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>The Weather Channel is awesome on the iPad.</strong></p><p>This should really be a no brainer. The Weather Channel has been sharing its weather forecasts with us from their dedicated television channel, their site, and now on the <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=ApuPaiKIpxg&amp;offerid=146261&amp;type=3&amp;subid=0&amp;tmpid=1826&amp;RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fitunes.apple.com%252Fus%252Fapp%252Fthe-weather-channel%252Fid295646461%253Fmt%253D8%2526uo%253D4%2526partnerId%253D30" target="_blank">iPhone</a> and <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=ApuPaiKIpxg&amp;offerid=146261&amp;type=3&amp;subid=0&amp;tmpid=1826&amp;RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fitunes.apple.com%252Fus%252Fapp%252Fthe-weather-channel-max-for%252Fid364252504%253Fmt%253D8%2526uo%253D4%2526partnerId%253D30" target="_blank">iPad</a> (both free). The 10-day forecasts let you know that next Wednesday it’s going to rain and might not be the best day for a picnic, and the hourly forecasts for the next 12 hours are heaven for the obsessive weather nut. While the iPhone app is awesome, the iPad app is truly outstanding with videos and weather maps. For “what to wear” advice, we also like Swackett (<a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=ApuPaiKIpxg&amp;offerid=146261&amp;type=3&amp;subid=0&amp;tmpid=1826&amp;RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fitunes.apple.com%252Fus%252Fapp%252Fswackett%252Fid412558550%253Fmt%253D8%2526uo%253D4%2526partnerId%253D30" target="_blank">free</a> in the Mac App Store or a web app at <a href="http://swackett.com/app" target="_blank">swackett.com/app</a>), which advises you whether to bring a coat, sweater, or jacket. Never again will you spend the day standing in a pool of your own sweat because you decided on a sweater instead of a T-shirt.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/8/macproblemsolvers/swackett-screen.jpg" width="585" height="480" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Outerwear selection help from Swackett.</strong></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/how_keep_track_weather_your_ios_device#commentsAppLifeAppsiOSWeatherweather appsweather channel appHow-TosSat, 02 Jul 2011 17:13:10 +0000Roberto Baldwin11446 at http://www.maclife.comIn Case You Missed It: May. 29 - Jun 4http://www.maclife.com/article/features/case_you_missed_it_may_29_jun_4
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u124583/ios_5.png" alt="ios 5 goodies" width="600" height="338" /></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>We're all a-flutter, all a-tingle, all ready for what tomorrow morning will bring when Steve Jobs kicks things off at the Apple Worldwide Developer Conference. Will he stun us with the iPhone 5 against all expectations? Or will it be all iOS 5 all the time, with glimpses of what the upcoming hardware can do? What about refreshes of other existing lines? We know he's gonna talk iCloud, Lion, and our favorite mobile operating system, but what else? What else? we cry!</p><p>And, yes, of course, we didn't let the grass grow under our feet, so just in case in all the WWDC hype, ya missed it, here's this week's bag o'goodies.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Features:</strong></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>- <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/features/mac_apps_work_perfectly_their_ios_counterparts ">Mac Apps That Work Perfectly With Their iOS Counterparts</a> - As we begin our foray into the post-PC world, it's important to remember that we still have to have our portable apps and our desktops play nice for the duration. Here's a handful of apps that not only reside on your iOS device, but swing wild and free in your MacBook and iMac, and make the sweetest of music with their portable counterparts.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u307916/2011/6/reviews/20under20/iprocrastinate-mac-screen.jpg" alt="iprocastinate" width="620" height="409" /></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>- <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/gallery/9_best_indie_mac_games_you_have_play">9 Best Indie Mac Games You Have to Play</a> - It doesn't take an app studio like Zynga to put something together that's going to turn quite a few heads, and some of our favorite breakout games have been the work of inspired, independent geniuses who bring it. Not every time, but often enough that we keep coming back for more and more and more. Here's 9 we found that you just gotta play.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Reviews:</strong></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>- <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/mays_highest_rated_reviews">May's Highest Rated Reviews</a> - End of the month brings us nothing more nor less than our guns a'blazin best of wrap up where we stack all our reviews up against each other and see who came out on top. It's like a bite sized run down of our favorite things of the month, plus this is the month we finally answered the epic backpack versus messenger bag throw down and how could you miss something that good?</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>- <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/app_showdown_weather_apps">App Showdown: Weather Apps</a> - We're not going to lie to you: our weather's been as crazy as yours and yours might even have been crazier than that. But of course there's no better way to stay up to the minute, heck up to the very second with the weather than with an iOS device in your pocket or messenger bag (see what we did there?). Only problem? There's somewhere in the range, officially, of a bazillion weather apps in the App Store. So what's a kid to do?</p><p><img src="/files/u124583/weather_hd2.png" alt="stormy weather" width="600" height="450" /></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>How-Tos:</strong></p><p>- <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/how_move_your_steam_games_new_hard_drive">How To Move Your Steam Games To a New Hard Drive</a> - Sure, who doesn't love the awesome Mac gaming with Steam? And upgrading to a new Mac is an awesome idea, but what to do with those downloaded and installed games? Are you really going to have to re-download all those gigs of data -- in this day and age of data caps? Surely you jest, friend, surely you jest. Here's how it's done, no muss, no fuss.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u297418/6.png" alt="steam" width="600" height="397" /></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>- <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/9_features_we_want_see_ios_5">9 Features We Want to See in iOS 5</a> - It's not a traditional how-to, we'll give it that, more of a how-to wishlist we want to see on Apple's desk front and center. Half of these are merely building on the promise of what you've already started, half of these can be done jailbreak style, so it's not that it's not possible, just that Apple hasn't put their shoulders to the grindstone on THIS PARTICULAR LIST. Okay, Jobs, get crackin. Ball's in your court.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/features/case_you_missed_it_may_29_jun_4#commentsNewsReviewsgamesiOS 5ios gamesmac appsmac gamesSteamWeatherweather appsFeaturesiPadiPhoneiPodMacTop StoriesHow-TosGamesSun, 05 Jun 2011 12:25:00 +0000J Keirn-Swanson11216 at http://www.maclife.comApp Showdown: Weather Appshttp://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/app_showdown_weather_apps
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u124583/weather_apps.png" alt="weather apps" width="600" height="300" /></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>With all the crazy weather we’ve been having lately all across the country, you might want to think about upgrading from Apple’s pretty bare bones weather app to something with a little more umph to it. But where to start? The App Store is choked with weather apps, but the basics are pretty much a given. You want to know the temperature, what the weather will be like today, and a forecast into the near future.<br /><br />Is that too much to ask? Let’s find out.</p><p><br /><br /><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p><h3><strong>Weather+ ($0.99/Universal)</strong></h3><p><br /><br />Perhaps realizing that after you’ve covered the basics, there really isn’t much more to do, ITWC, the makers of <a href="http://bit.ly/l6Zuu0">Weather+</a> decided that pretty was the way to go. So they souped up their universal app with gorgeous weather-related backgrounds. Of course, there’s plenty besides pretty. Once you’ve inputted your location, Weather HD grabs the local time and breaks the data down into customizable widgets.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u124583/weather_plus.png" alt="weather+" width="600" height="450" /></p><p><strong>We Like the Pretty Blossoms</strong><br /><br />Top of the screen rides the old school flip-style clock, under that your location, date, very succinct weather description, and the current temperature. Below that is a five day spread showing you the general outlook for the week. For a bit more detail, under that is an hourly forecast for the day in 3 hour increments. Finally, at the very bottom, there’s a break down of the humidity, precipitation, wind speed and direction, air pressure, and what the visibility is like.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u124583/weather_plus_2.png" alt="weather+2" width="600" height="800" /></p><p><strong>This Picture is Missing a Margarita We Think</strong><br /><br />The nice part comes when you tap one of the forecasts. If it’s sunny, you get short video of a bright field or lovely blue sky or cherry blossoms falling toward the screen (our personal fave). But should the weather shift, you’re looking at dark clouds and active, brilliant lightning. It’s a nice conceit, even if not entirely necessary, but it does serve as a good visual reminder of what you can expect. <br /><br />If you want more weathers in more cities, they’re easy to add, and you can tinker with these information widgets, swap Celsius for Farenheit, or get more or less frequent weather updates than the default three hour block.</p><p><br /><br /><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p><h3><strong>Weather HD ($0.99/Universal)<br /></strong></h3><p><br />Another “video based” weather app, vimov, LLC’s <a href="http://bit.ly/miedOc">Weather HD</a> also delivers a short, appropriate set of visual cues to inform you of the weather. Sunny scenes tell you a great day is ahead, while stormy clouds signal you might want to not go flying any kites any time soon. There’s far less widgeting going on in this app, with everything being discretely tucked in the corners. Location grabs the upper right corner, time the upper left, and the current weather summary down in the lower left hand side.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u124583/weather_hd.png" alt="weather hd" width="600" height="450" /></p><p><strong>Hot, With Temperatures Falling and Isn't This Lovely?</strong><br /><br />The weather summary sticks to the basics, including the current conditions and temperature, the day’s highs and lows, the humidity, precipitation and wind speed and direction. Defaulted to off, you can also toggle on the air pressure and visibility. <br /><br />Right below the weather summary is a button that lets you see the forecast, be it hourly or the next seven days worth. Each tap of a day or hour gives a new video, though Weather HD seems to be a little shy in the number of differing background scenes they provide.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u124583/weather_hd2.png" alt="weather hd 2" width="600" height="450" /></p><p><strong>We'd Recommend Staying Indoors for This One</strong></p><p>Add more locations from the settings menu and you can flick across the screen to see all the weather you care about. It’s simple, it’s gorgeous, and it does the trick with flair.</p><p><br /><br /><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p><h3><strong>Fahrenheit ($0.99/Universal)</strong></h3><p><br /><br />ITWC has a second dog in this fight with their app, <a href="http://bit.ly/m7r7Xy">Fahrenheit</a> (or Celsius if you live in a country rocking that style -- note, the apps can’t/won’t convert for your convenience).</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u124583/fahrenheit.png" alt="fahrenheit" width="600" height="800" /><strong><br /></strong></p><p><strong>Clean and Simple and to the Point</strong></p><p>A simpler app than Weather+, Fahrenheit opens to the bare bonesiest set of data you’re likely to come across and that’s a good thing. Want to take in a snapshot of the next ten days and you’re not too fussy about all that visibility and air pressure business? Then this just might be the app for you. You get a column list with the day of the week to the far left, and under that a two word synopsis of the day’s weather. In a second column you get a high/low prediction. Third column gives you a sun with either clouds or no, or all clouds depending on the forecast. Lastly, the fourth column presents wind in as short a formula as possible (9 M/H N with a little compass icon next to it.)<br /><br />Tap any of these days and a hidden panel slides out for a breakdown of the day in 3 hour increments plus the UV Index, the time of sunrise and sunset, and the chance of precipitation. Another tap and it’s all hidden again.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u124583/fahrenheit_badge.png" alt="fahrenheit badge" width="105" height="114" /></p><p><strong>Genius</strong><br /><br />Where Fahrenheit’s real killer feature comes in is its icon badging. Want real time temperature on your home page? Right up in the right hand upper corner of the app, you’ve got a regularly updated number badge that keeps you in the loop. That’s a great feature that we just adore.</p><p><br /><br /><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p><h3><strong>WunderMap (Free/iPad)</strong></h3><p><br /><br />The Weather Underground (not the revolutionary group, we think), is responsible for the map based weather app, <a href="http://bit.ly/mhIpn1">WunderMap</a>. Fire it up, set your location, and WunderMap shows you your local area with push-pin style tags giving you the range of temperatures in your area. While we can see a good scientist putting this to use, for us regular folks it might seem like an over-glut of data.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u124583/wundermap.png" alt="wundermap" width="600" height="800" /></p><p><strong>That's a Lot of Data There</strong></p><p>Drawing on the power of Google Maps, WunderMap will let you pinch and zoom or drag the map around and it’ll update with conditions wherever you want to see it, all over the world. Tap a push pin and, yes, Timra, Sweden’s current forecast is at your fingertips. Since they’re pulling from Google’s API, you can pick satellite view, street view, or a hybrid, but there’s more. <br /><br />Tap the layers button and you can see what kind of cloud cover the world’s picking up, a radar overlay of precipitation, and severe weather bulletins. They’re not done yet, as the more button lets you see localized weather webcams so you know exactly what the conditions look like in the back gardens of Surrey, England.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u124583/wundermap2.png" alt="wundermap 2" width="600" height="800" /></p><p><strong>Maybe It's a Little Too Much Data, Unless You're a Weather Junkie</strong><br /><br />Closer to home, your own local weather is in a small, three-paned box in the lower right hand side. First pane is current conditions including dew point, wind, visibility, humidity and so forth. Flick to the second pane to scroll up and down through 3 hour incremental forecasts, and the third pane gives you a seven day and night short prediction. <br /><br />Chock full of data, WunderMap might just be too much information for the average person who just wants to know if she needs to take an umbrella to work, but if you’re a weather junkie we don’t see how you could go wrong.</p><p><br />&nbsp; <br /><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p><h3><strong>Weather Forecaster Pro ($0.99/Universal)</strong></h3><p><br /><br />Smart Solutions thinks they know what you want with <a href="http://bit.ly/lmriPK">Weather Forecast Pro</a>. You want big, you want bold, you want chunky information fields that look like buttons but aren’t. Right there on the screen once you get your location set, you have a big top section with today’s temperature, time (including sunrise and sunset), a short weather explanation, plus the wind and humidity. <br /><br />Below that, taking up the remaining 2/3rds of the screen, you have the a five day forecast with clearly understandable icons for the weather. Chunky button-looking fields sit next to those days which gives you the corresponding projected high and low.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u124583/iweather.png" alt="iweather" width="600" height="800" /></p><p><strong>Big Bold Buttons Bring Barometric Business</strong></p><p>Across the bottom of your screen are five buttons. One toggles back and forth between Fahrenheit and Celsius. The globe button gives you a map that supposedly will let you pick weather for the location you tap on (it repeatedly crashed at this step). The satelite-y looking button gives you a “Satelit image” (sic) with South America most prominently displayed. A globe with magnifying glass lets you search for weather around the world, and the star displays your favorite weathers.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u124583/iweather2.png" alt="iweather 2" width="600" height="800" /></p><p><strong>Ummm...Sorta Helpful to Someone, We're Sure</strong></p><p>The UI isn’t the prettiest we’ve seen in these parts and the navigation through the app tended to make it crash more often than we’d think warranted by the small task it shouldered.</p><p><br /><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p><h3><strong>Stormy Weather:</strong></h3><p><br /><br />It’s clear that there are as many different weather apps as there are tastes in weather apps. For our own considerations, we want easy to read data, quickly available, with a simple to customize interface. While the temperature badge of Fahrenheit is dead useful (and something Apple could easily implement like the changing date on the Calendar app icon), by itself the app lacks something special. With the prettiest images and the most customizability and ease of use, we have to give the golden umbrella to the makers of Weather+. The stormy backgrounds, the falling cherry blossoms, all of that is just icing on the cake of a well-done data interface.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/app_showdown_weather_apps#commentsReviewsapp showdownAppLifeAppsWeatherweather appsiPadiPhoneiPodWed, 01 Jun 2011 17:38:28 +0000J Keirn-Swanson11173 at http://www.maclife.comFree App Friday: 5 Apps For Checking the Weatherhttp://www.maclife.com/article/columns/free_app_friday_5_apps_checking_weather
<!--paging_filter--><p>Don't know what it's like outside? Too lazy to open up the curtains and take a peek? Use your Mac or iOS devices to check and see what the weather is like. Here's a quick look at five free weather apps that let you know whether today's the day to leave the jacket at home.<br /><br /><strong><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/weddar/id431659526?mt=8" target="_self"><img src="/files/u53/2011/05/screen_shot_2011-05-04_at_4.29.19_pm.png" width="100" height="102" class="graphic-left" />Weddar</a></strong><br />A free weather app that relies on crowd-sourced data to let you know what it's like outside. Lately, this is one of our favorite apps because it really gives you a detailed look at what the weather is like in your particular neighborhood or area.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/weather-free/id404516121?mt=8" target="_self"><img src="/files/u53/2011/05/screen_shot_2011-05-04_at_4.29.00_pm.png" width="100" height="101" class="graphic-left" />Weather+ Free</a></strong><br />While it's actually the "Lite" version of another Weather application, Weather+ is nice because it gives you current weather conditions and a 5-day forecast worldwide, as well as videos and widgets, all beautifully visualized on your iPad.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/nightstand-central-for-ipad/id392480771?mt=8" target="_blank"><img src="/files/u53/2011/05/screen_shot_2011-05-04_at_4.29.38_pm.png" width="100" height="95" class="graphic-left" />Nightstand Central for iPad</a></strong><br />It's not actually a weather application, but it'll display the the weather and temperature outside in a widget-like interface. Perfect if you're the type who docks your iOS device by your bed at night.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wundermap/id364884105?mt=8" target="_self"><img src="/files/u53/2011/05/screen_shot_2011-05-04_at_4.29.57_pm.png" width="100" height="98" class="graphic-left" />WunderMap </a></strong><br />WunderMap lets you scroll around a fully interactive map to check out temperatures in your region.. And, there are animated clouds, which makes it great for tracking storms (so you can avoid them, of course).</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/accu-weather-free-for-ipad/id364616869?mt=8" target="_blank"><img src="/files/u53/2011/05/screen_shot_2011-05-04_at_4.30.14_pm.png" width="100" height="96" class="graphic-left" />AccuWeather Free</a></strong><br />Get detailed current conditions, a 15-day forecast and hourly weather updates with the AccuWeather forecast. Plus, there are weather alarms to warn you of severe weather (because you needed more to be paranoid about in life).</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/columns/free_app_friday_5_apps_checking_weather#commentsColumnsfree app fridayfree appsiPad AppsiPhone appsiPod Appsweather appsiPadiPhoneiPodFri, 13 May 2011 18:00:19 +0000Florence Ion10868 at http://www.maclife.com